Russell HughesAtreyu – In Our Wake (Search and Destroy Records)
Genre: Metal
Atreyu wanted to give the world of heavy music a jolt with their new album In Our Wake, but have they succeeded?
The California legend’s seventh album is a massive change of direction from Long Live, which harked back to their heavier, early days. The 2015 album was a fast, heavy, hard hitting affair and it was worlds away from In Our Wake.
But that’s okay. Bands have to experiment, to try new things. And this was particularly fan driven and a response to gig requests for more material from Lead Sails and Paper Anchor – the band’s original, experimental record.
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That said, there is a clear reminder that Atreyu are still a heavy band with Nothing Will Ever Change, while Blind Deaf & Dumb is an encouraging first flirtation with rap ‘n rock evolution that’s been making a charge across the genre.
In order to step away from Long Live, the band were reunited with John Feldmann – who they previously worked with on Lead Sails and Paper Anchor.
Feldmann is credited with pushing Atreyu harder than ever, and that resulted in songs like In Our Wake. The album opener was shaped by the tragic deaths of rock icons Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington, and heavily shaped the ‘be a good force in other’s lives’ message of the song.
There is definitely a lot more range of In Our Wake. Terrified employs a beautiful orchestral component that creates a wide ranging, swinging, swooping sound before immediately transitioning to the heavier Safety Pin and its big chorus and meaty guitar hook.
For a 20 year old band to be consistently making and breaking the mould shows great dedication to their work. This may not be heavy Atreyu, but it’s an Atreyu who are willing to try new things and leave a message and that should be celebrated.
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